Mexican Sopa de Lima with Shredded Chicken, Fried Tortilla Strips, Habanero and Fresh Lime

Poach the chicken: place chicken breast in a pot with stock, halved onion, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil, skim any foam, then reduce to a bare simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is just cooked through. Remove the chicken and let it cool slightly. Strain the broth and reserve.

Ingredients

• For the chicken and broth:
• 1 whole chicken breast, bone-in and skin-on (about 600g/1.3 lbs)
• 2 liters (8 cups) chicken stock
• 1 white onion, halved
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• For the sopa base:
• 2 tbsp lard or neutral oil
• 1 large white onion, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 habanero pepper, seeds removed, finely minced (use gloves)
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano (different from Mediterranean — toasty and citrusy)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• Juice of 3 Mexican limes (or key limes — the small sour variety, not Persian limes)
• Zest of 1 lime
• Salt and pepper to taste
• For the garnish and tortilla strips:
• 6 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
• Neutral oil for frying
• 1 avocado, diced
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Extra lime wedges
• Sliced radishes

Instructions

1. Poach the chicken: place chicken breast in a pot with stock, halved onion, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil, skim any foam, then reduce to a bare simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is just cooked through. Remove the chicken and let it cool slightly. Strain the broth and reserve.
2. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it by pulling the meat along the grain using two forks — or simply pull with your fingers. The shreds should be long and uneven, not chopped. Set aside.
3. Fry the tortilla strips: heat 1 inch of oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortilla strips in batches and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Season immediately with salt. They should shatter when bitten. This is non-negotiable — stale chips will not give the same texture.
4. Make the sopa base: in a large pot, heat lard or oil over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook for 7-8 minutes until soft and beginning to color at the edges. Add minced garlic, diced tomatoes, and habanero. Cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down. Add oregano and cumin, stir and fry for 1 minute.
5. Add the strained chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a simmer. Add the shredded chicken. Simmer together for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.
6. Add lime juice and zest. Taste carefully — the lime should be assertive, bright, and very present. This is sopa de lima: the lime is the dish. Season with salt and pepper. The broth should be clear, golden-orange from the tomatoes, and smell vigorously of lime and dried chili.
7. Ladle the soup into deep bowls with generous amounts of shredded chicken. Add a pile of fried tortilla strips over the top so they are still crisp when the bowl reaches the table.
8. Garnish with diced avocado, fresh cilantro, radish slices, and a wedge of lime pressed against the bowl's edge. Sopa de Lima is the signature soup of the Yucatán Peninsula — bright, slightly smoky, citrus-forward, and utterly unlike any soup from central Mexico.